Display container



Jan. 22, 1957 A. A. RAEBURN DISPLAY CONTAINER Filed July 19, 1954INVENTOR flwrfl. Faea/n/ ATTORNEY? United States Patent DISPLAYCONTAINER Abner A. Raeburn, New York, N. Y.

Application July 19, 1954, Serial No. 444,210

2 Claims. (Cl. 206-4519) This invention relates v to a display containerand particularly to such a device in which the entire contents of thecontainer are visible for inspection.

In the design and manufactureof a display container for packaging itemssuch as uniform insignia, medals, and low cost jewelry, it is alwaysdesirable that the construction be such that the merchandise which itcontains be visible for inspection from a variety of angles withoutremoving the cover of the container. In addition, it is desirable thatthe container be of sufficiently rugged construction to permit handling,storage and transportation, and at the same time, that it besufficiently attractive to invite inspection by prospectivepurchaserswhen placed on display. Heretofore, a variety of such deviceshave been developed, but, for the most part, these have involvedexceedingly high manufacturing costs in order to embody the severalnecessary characteristics.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improveddisplay container in which the entire contents thereof are visible forinspection without removing any part of the container.

A further object is to provide a display container that is sufiicientlyrugged to withstand the handling to which it is normally exposed bysales help and prospective purchasers, as well as being sufficientlyattractive to display the merchandise it contains to its best advantage.

Another object is to provide such a container in which there is a raisedplatform to which the merchandise may be secured, and a compartmentbeneath said platform to receive the pin or button, or other securingmeans of the merchandise.

Among other objects are those providing a unit of this type embodying araised flap or tab for display purposes, a structure whereby the severalelements of the assembly tend to maintain their assembled relationshipduring all normal handling of the container and a unit which will besimple to manufacture and may be readily assembled to provide anattractive, dust-free, durable packaging device capable of beingmanufactured at low cost.

These and other objects of the invention are attained by means of acombination of a box-like member, having a bottom and four sidesextending upwardly therefrom, within which is mounted a recessedplatform member for the display of the merchandise, and wherein theplatform member is covered by a transparent plastic cover having sidesthat extend between the edges of the platform member and the sides ofthe box. In the preferred arrangement of the invention, the sides of thecover member are inclined slightly from the vertical whereby, wheninserted between the platform member and the sides of the box, theyexert a binding action on the parts and thereby tend to hold the severalelements in their respective positions. The platform member itself is soarranged that when folded for assembly in the box member, borderportions thereof interact to form an attractive setting for themerchandise and also serve to hold the platform spaced an appropriatedistance from the face of the transparent 2,778,487 Patented Jan. 22,

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: accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the box blankmember of the:

invention; v Fig; 2 is a plan view of the blank of the platform memberof the invention;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 taken together, constitute an exploded isometric viewof the cover member, platform member,

and box member, respectively, as formed for assembly;

into a complete unit; p p p Fig. 6 is a plan view of the assembleddisplay container of the invention; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the display container taken along the line7-7 of Fig. 6.

In the form of the invention shown in the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2illustrate the blank units that are set-up respectively into the box andplatform members of.

applicants display container. Each of these elements is die cut from asingle piece of stock, preferably .cardboard of suitable, thickness toprovide the required rigidity in the finished assembly, and is diescored to facilitate bending of the material during the assemblyoperation. For simplicity of explanation, the die scored bending linesare shown as dashes in Figs. 1 and 2. r

' Referring to Fig. l the box member, generally'designated by referencecharacter 10, constitutes a conventional material type of structure thatis preferred for use with the invention because it provides a strong,durable and economical container. However, it will be apparent that.

other types of boxes are also suitable. Briefly, it comprises a bottomportion 11 having ends 12 connected thereto. flap 13 that is folded overand glued to end portion 12, and interconnecting flaps 14 that formcorner connections with the side portions. are outer side portions 15,inner side portions 16 and base portions 17. Connected to inner'sideportions, 16 are locking tabs 18. i

In assembling the box and as shown in Fig. 5, ,end por-i tions 12 arebent upwardly at right angles to bottom 11 and interconnecting flaps 14are turned inwardly at right Side portions 15 are then' bent upwardly toa position at right angles to bottomv angles to the end portions.

11, and inner side portion 16 is then bent downwardly overinterconnecting flaps 14 to form the inner side of the box. At the sametime, base portions 17 are reversely,

Locking tabs 18 are pressed' bent to abut bottom 11. into cut outcorners 19, formed at eachend of locking flaps 13, whereby the entireassemblyis secured in its assembled condition as illustrated in Fig. 5.

The platform member of the invention, generally designated by referencecharacter 20 (see Fig. 2), includes a platform portion 21 which servesas a mounting surface for the merchandise that is to be displayed andwhich may be perforated or slit in any, desired manner to permit themerchandise to be secured thereto. Connected to platform portion 21 areend border portions 22, having supporting flaps 23 thereon, and sideborder portions 24, having supporting flaps 25 connected thereto. Saidborder portions 22 and 24 are separated at their adjacent ends bydiagonal cuts that extend to the corners of platform por tion 21,whereby when the borders are bent upwardly, as explained below, theadjacent ends thereof cooperate to form angularly inclined miteredjoints at the corners of the platform portion.

In order to provide an outstanding position for the display of themanufacturers name or trademark, a

Each of the end portions includes alocking Also connected to bottom 11"hinged tab 26 is formed on platform member 20 in a manner to extend fromplatform portion 21 into one of the adjacent border portions22 or 24, asdesired. This is accomplished;by die cutting along any desired lines 27to. form. asuitableoutlineand by diescoring alonganinnermostline.28,.connecting-theends of such outline cuts, tosform'ahinge. whereby tab 26. may be bent upwardly from the face of platformmember 20. Thus, when the border portion is bent upwardly, theendofthetab rides upwardly thereon to form an upraiseddisplay panel.Obviously, tab, 26 may be formed to be hinged on the border portion, ifdesired, or may be formed between platform portion 21 andone of thesideborder portions 24, should the shape of the displayedmerchandisesodictate. Inassembling,platform.rnember 20 and as shownin Figs. .4 and.7, end border portions 22* are bent upwardly to; anangle approximating.135 degrees with referenceto platform portion 21, and supporting flaps23 arebent downwardly in a. verticalplane. Side'border portions. 24 arethen bent upwardly until they abut the diagonal corners of. end borders22, and supporting flaps 25. are bent downwardly therefrom. In thebending of the lower end border22, tab 26 is pushed upwardlytherefromand. the endthereof bears againstthe outermargin of the.border. When. completely assembled, the several elements of platformmember 20 appear in the relationship .shown .in Fig. 4 in whichpositionthey may readily beinserted-into the assembledboxmember 100i.Fig. The dimensions. of theseveralelements beingsuch that a snug fit isobtained between the platform. and box members.

In. the arrangement thus far described, it is apparent that thedimensions of the several elements of platform member 20. may be varied,almost at will, to provide a wide variety of display arrangements invaccordance with the type of merchandise to be displayed. Preferably,supporting flaps 23 and 25 arev just less in size than the width ofinner faces of endportions 12 and side portions 16, respectively, sothat the upper. edges of platform member 20 are flush with the upperedges of box member in the assembled condition of the end portion andside portion. Also, the dimensions of platform portion 21 areappreciably less than those ofv box bottom 11 and the widths of borderportions22 and 24.are formed according- 1y so that the upper faceofplatform portion 21 is recessed suificiently from the. upper edges ofthe box to provide what might be termed a tray an attractive display ofthe merchandise, while leaving a suitable compartment 29 (see Fig. 7)below theplatform to accommodate the but ton, pin or other device bywhich the merchandise is secured.

The cover member of the invention, generally. designated by referencecharacter 30 (see Fig. 3), is diecut and preferably formed from a singlesheet of transparent plastic stock and includes a rectangular topportion 310i a dimension sufficient to extend over the entire areaofIplatform member 20 when it is assembled. Extending downwardly fromtop 31 are end portions 32 and side portions 33 that are formed in amanner to permit ready insertion between the supporting flaps of theplatform member and inner side portions of box member 10. referably, endportions 32 and side portions 33 are extended at an. angle slightly inexcess of 90 degrees with. reference to. top portion. 31 whereby,because of the inherent resilience of the cover material, they exert abinding action between the box member and the platform member.Accordingly, they serve to maintain the parts in their assembledcondition as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

By the arrangement thus described there is provided a display containerwherein merchandise may conveniently be mounted on a recessed platformin a box having a transparent cover. Therefore, the merchandise isreadily visible for inspect-ion without the necessity of removing thecover; said container being sufiiciently durable to withstand normalhandling by sales help and prospective purchasers and providing anattractive, dust-free setting for the-merchandise: The container alsohas. a raised display panel for the manufacturers mark, or other.indicia and provides a'compartment to-receive the merchandise securingdevice.

Thus, among others, the several objects of the invention as specificallynoted above are achieved. Obviously, numerous changes-"int-constiuctionand re-arrangements of the parts may: be made without departing from thescope of the inventionas definedby the claims.

I claim:

1. A display container having a platform therein adapted to mountmerchandise to be displayed comprising a rectangular box member having abottom and side walls extendingupwardly from said bottom, a rectangularplatform member insaid box providing an upper mounting surface, upwardlyextending border portions projecting, from each of the margins of saidplatform member. recessed therebetween, downwardly extending flaps.projecting from each of said border portions and lying immediatelyadjacent thev respective inner faces of said side .walls between thebottom of said box-member and the upper edges of the side walls thereof,the width of said flaps being greater than the width of said borderportions,. and a substantially U-shaped cut formed in said platformmember adjacenta margin thereof which extends into: the immediatelyadjacent border portion at said margin, said out forming a hinged tabwhich is bent upwardly on a fold vline wh-ichis substantiallyparallel toandspaced inwardly from said margin and which is inclined towards saidborder portion. to bear thereagainst and serveas a display panelfor anarticle and to bear identifying information pertinent thereto.

2. A container ascIaimed in claim 1 wherein said recessed platformmember is provided with a transparent flexible cover having sides. whichextend between said border and flap portions and the inner sides of saidbox member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,778,462 Nourse et al Oct. 14, 1930 1,904,072 Nelson Apr. 18, 19331,936,608 Schmidt Nov. 28, 1933 2,120,826 Young June 14, 1938 2,219,183Hartnett et al. Oct. 22, 1940 2,521,184 Paige Sept. 5, 1950 2,547,849Barry Apr. 3, 1951 2,549,023 Shinoda Apr. 17, 1951 2,583,927 BianchiIan. 29, 1952 2,618,381 Gilbert Nov. 18, 1952 2,636,600 Denton et alApr. 28, 1953 2,649,957 Gapstur' Aug. 25, 1953

